WHY WE USE MĀNUKA OIL
WHAT IS MĀNUKA?
Mānuka is a native New Zealand tree found throughout bush and scrub across the country.
Best known for Mānuka honey, the tree also produces a distinctive essential oil with a naturally complex aromatic profile.
Mānuka oil contains compounds known as triketones, which vary naturally according to where the plant is grown. The Mānuka we cultivate in South Taranaki is particularly rich in these compounds, giving our oil its distinctive composition and character.
HOW DO WE SOURCE OUR MĀNUKA?
We’re proud to cultivate a unique regional variety of Mānuka on our South Taranaki farm, known for its naturally high triketone levels.
These trees provide the raw material for the Mānuka oil used throughout our skin care range.
Growing our own Mānuka also gives us greater connection to the ingredient from source to finished formula. Replanting native trees once cleared from this whenua is helping restore our small patch of South Taranaki for future generations.
HOW DO YOU GET MĀNUKA OIL?
Mānuka essential oil is extracted through a process called steam distillation, which captures the plant’s naturally occurring aromatic compounds.
The leaves and small branches of the mānuka plant (Leptospermum scoparium) are harvested and placed in a distillation vessel. Steam passes through the plant material, carrying volatile compounds with it. As the steam cools and condenses, the essential oil separates from the water and can be collected.
This process produces a concentrated botanical oil with a distinctive aroma and chemical composition, including naturally occurring triketones. The characteristics of the finished oil vary depending on where the mānuka grows and the composition of the plant material.
At That’s It, mānuka oil is incorporated into carefully formulated skin care products alongside other ingredients selected to help moisturise, condition and keep skin feeling comfortable.
WHY MĀNUKA OIL?
Mānuka oil is a distinctive New Zealand botanical ingredient and an important part of That’s It’s approach to outdoor skin care.
Extracted from the native mānuka plant (Leptospermum scoparium), the oil contains naturally occurring compounds, including triketones, that contribute to its characteristic botanical composition. These compounds vary by growing region, giving mānuka oil a distinct regional identity.
That’s It combines mānuka oil with carefully selected ingredients in formulas designed to condition dry skin, help manage friction and keep skin feeling comfortable through everyday outdoor activity.
Mānuka also has a long history of use in traditional Māori rongoā. We respect that heritage while keeping the role of mānuka oil in our products focused on contemporary cosmetic skin care.
For us, mānuka oil is also about provenance. Our mānuka is grown and distilled on our South Taranaki farm, giving us a close connection to the ingredient from the land through to the finished formula.